Connectivity and communication

Today I thought I'd write a slightly different post to normal. It's based on a couple of conversations I've had in the last week, my trip in 2007, my experience on this trip so far and my visit to Cadiz in January this year and it's on the subject of increased connectivity and communication.

When I went around the world in 2007, we didn't have smart phones. Phone calls home were made using phonecards and the hostel pay phone, where you deposited your coins, dialled an access code and then depending on your card and country you could have anything from 10 minutes to an hour's conversation. The Internet was something you accessed either via a very slow connection on the hostel computer (providing you were able to get on it) or Internet cafes; there was no broadband or wifi. No-one, other than those you were with at the time, knew what you were doing unless you had spent a fortune on a text or just spoken to them via the phonecard shenanigans, and chances are, your time zone was so different that wasn't possible anyway other than on a Saturday or Sunday! Similarly, in Cadiz which I solo travelled to, whilst I had wifi in my hotel, it was pre data roaming so other than paying for an EU data package (which I did and used up in no time at all!) the opportunities for communicating were limited to when I was in a wifi zone.

Now, however, we have Internet on the go and our calls, texts and data are available to us in Europe just the same as if we were at home; but we're not, we're away.

So I've been giving a lot of thought to the whole Facebook, texting and phone calls situation and how this impacts on 'being away'. This is something that's also come up twice in conversation in the hostel in Budapest; firstly with two German girls in their early twenties, and then with a Scottish guy in his seventies. We were discussing if having all these channels of communication to 'home' in any way detracts from our experience. It was really interesting as (in my very small sample) it was very different for the two ages. The older person wanted to be connected so his family could contact him to make sure he was OK, but the younger people it was for them to stay in touch generally, to find out what was going on back home, and to update their friends and family on what they were doing. 

For me, I'm finding the trip being 'connected' a very different experience to 10 years ago. I know I'm only in Europe, so closer to home anyway, but having the comfort of knowing I can message my friends and call my family hassle-free is both extremely comforting and liberating at the same time. I'm writing this blog post on my iPad and I'm not limited to my slot on the hostel computer to share my thoughts and whilst (other than those who have told me they have signed up to it) I don't know who's reading it (I don't get to find it who subscribes) but I still feel that through it, I'm talking with friends. And whilst I'm old school and prefer a map, being able to pinpoint my position on google maps is incredibly reassuring in an unfamiliar place. 

The downside to it all though is that we can forget that we're travelling for new experiences and so it's really important to be in the present and make sure that we're taking full advantage of the situation we're in. This is something that came out in all the conversations; we have to make sure we don't jeopardise the opportunities to make new connections and forge new relationships by being glued to our mobile devices. But at the same time, it's crucial we remain connected to our loved ones too, as through us they also have a vested interest in our trips and also want to know we're OK. Finding the balance between these two is tricky; it's one I'm not sure I have right yet and so please forgive me if you think I've disappeared; I haven't and whilst I may not have contacted you, it doesn't mean I not thinking of you!

So my conclusion, after considering this topic for just under a week now, is that yes, this world of increased connectivity and improved communication is really beneficial. However, as with many things in life, the key to success is to find the right balance, in this case between having the new experiences (be they places or people) and sharing them with those we love.